bailout

The Birthrights of Citizenship
An Open letter to the people of the 53 District CA

Mason Weaver for Congress CA-53

September 28, 2009

We are part of a unique experience in human communities. The social behavior of early mankind was simple – the strong overcame the weak. It was acceptable and understandable to all. The struggle for personal freedoms was never considered; the struggle was always for the survival of the group. The privileged group may have issues with or disdain for the weaker group but they always expected dominance. Every once in a while the weaker group would rise up and challenge the stronger group. The tides shifted back and forth with one group always assuming the dominant role – this was what people called society.

Human history takes a turn, however, with the American experiment, where society was not based upon the group but the individual. One’s potential was not based upon inheritance or privilege but honor, hard work, and innovation. Ours was a new concept, the individual right of self-governing. It was a system based upon an understanding of the spirit of mankind – freedom! As Americans we are free to come together and determine our leadership, not dictatorship. We are free to determine what is best for our culture. We are free to work and provide for our families as we see the benefits. We are free!

The United States Constitution is based upon the idea that individuals were created. Thus, we are free, not because government says we are but because our Creator has deemed us free. Because we are free, our Constitution recognizes the rights of the individual as opposed to the privilege of the group. Our form of government is designed to accommodate personal freedom and is therefore incapable of taking care of every single need of every one of its citizens. The only way that government could take care if you would be to control you altogether. If you are free, you are by definition uncontrollable; therefore your government must take your freedom from you in order to provide personal safety to you.

Today, people seem to think that very problem facing the American people must have a government solution. However, if the government was created to protect our freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, how then could the government be expected to provide those things when we are lacking? If the government insisted that it provide what you are free to obtain for yourself, wouldn’t that be a problem? So then if the government is the problem, it cannot be the solution. Nowadays every crisis requires more government intervention and less freedom to the governed. If we are indeed a self-governed population then We the People are free to make our own decisions, so only we can solve the majority of our problems. The government was never empowered to make sure that we all liked each other, never offended anyone, or thought the same way about every thing. It is unconstitutional to assume control or influence over our banking, education, health, or wealth. It is counterproductive in a free, self-governing nation to have government regulations controlling every decision citizens make.

Our government was ordained and established by free, self-governing people to secure order and provide general protection while we provide for our families. Our history is that of the people putting pressure on government to change, not the government putting pressure on the people to change. We, the people put pressure on England and it resulted in the Revolutionary War. We, the people put pressure on the South and it resulted in the Civil War. It was the population putting pressure on government in the Woman’s Suffrage Movement, Civil Rights struggles, and the Anti-War Movement that brought about change. It is the American Way; it is the way of self-governed people.

Where is the pressure on the government to perform an overhaul of the healthcare system? Where is the cry from the population of self-governed people demanding our government step in and fix our healthcare? The pressure is coming once again from the people to keep the government out of changing the healthcare system. The President did not campaign on healthcare reform, and there has been no national debate on the issue. This issue was brought to the American people by our government and the government is insisting we accept it regardless of our clear opposition! This is not only unconstitutional; it is a direct threat to freedom as we know it.

With provisions allowing jail time for noncompliance, higher taxes, lower service, and limited access to doctors, the American people are once again required to stand up to its government as only a self-governed people can.

We have said “NO!” We have said it over and over again. We have said it in Tea Parties, town hall meetings, and marches in our hometowns, state capitals, and even Washington D.C. We have said “NO!” over and over again, but our government has responded with a closed, arrogant ear. They have even said publicly that we are like teenage children, a mob, and everything except CITIZENS! It is time to see what kind of government we have and what kind of people are being governed.

If we are self-governed and free, we must say “NO!” one more time. On 11-2-10 we may have our last chance to say “NO!” On 11-2-10 we must declare our freedom once again. We must reestablish the old idea that we are Americans; free and self-governed. Who will stand up for America and tell them we mean NO? Who will tell them they work for us? Who will declare that if we do not want to read 1100 pages, that means NO. If we do not understand the bill, that means NO! If we are afraid or confused, that still means NO! Who will tell them that no matter what name they call us, no matter if we are a mob or not, or even “Astro Turf”, we have said “NO!”, and we mean NO.

The economical crisis: is it really a crisis? What caused it? How can we extract ourselves from it? Let us be a little calm, cool, and collective about the multi-billion dollar questions. It seems like every little blip or incident sends the economy into a tail spin. How could a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico cause long lines at the pump all over the South? How can less than 5% of the home mortgages going into foreclosure cause a financial collapse of world markets? They cannot. Not by themselves anyway.

One of the problems is that the world hates America but loves to trade with us. We are the only country that can innovate, develop, and inspire progress. Our economy is over 13.8 trillion dollars, making it the largest in the world by far. America’s economy is larger than those of the next four largest economies (Japan, Germany, China and United Kingdom) combined. Sure, they are growing, but the world is far behind us.

With all of their oil revenue, Saudi Arabia has only the 24th largest economy in the world, and Venezuela comes in 34th, at $228 billion per year. That is still a lot of surplus for these nations, and they certainly do not want to invest it within their own corrupt countries. Mexico receives $20 billion per year from illegals sending cash back to relatives. Yet when they go home to Mexico, they only have poverty to deal with.

Nevertheless, because we are an open society, most foreign nations and individuals can trade with and invest in America. So, wealthy business owners and foreign banks are heavily invested in our economy. We buy their oil, toys, cars, and clothing, and they take our money to buy crops, military hardware, and invest in our markets. It is the latter that is causing so many sleepless nights.

As India and China demanded more oil for their expanding economies and America refused to produced more domestically, investors began to “speculate” that prices would go up with the demand. So they invested heavily in the American market. At the same time, America’s lending institutions and banks, being encouraged by Congress, began to change their lending criteria and sold risky loans to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac companies who lobbied Congress for more risky loans. The more money they gave to Congress, the more support Congress gave them to make risky loans.

During this time something strange began happening in the western states. Many foreigners using fake ids (often from their own Consulates) began to buy homes with weak, unsupported loans. It was a boom business for all. As the dollar weakened, more overseas investments came into the market, creating more capital for the banks to lend. The explosive mixture was ready – all that was needed was the right spark.

First came the crack down on illegal immigration and the well publicized raids on businesses. Communities began to report the exodus of illegals back to their own countries and a decrease in the local work force. At the same time there emerged a noticeable increase in the foreclosure rate on homes. Those foreigners with fake identification had no reason to stick around; they were abandoning homes. It started in California and moved into Texas.

Gasoline hit around $4 a gallon in the U.S., and there was a revolt from citizens demanding more domestic production of oil. This had an immediate reduction in the price of oil and the speculators panicked. They moved their money out of oil, the price per barrel plummeted, and the foreign investors took their money out of the country. The dollar got stronger and banks started experiencing a “silent run” on bank accounts when large depositors began to take money out. The first cracks in the financial institution began to appear. Those “silent runs” were often foreign investors looking for better places for their money. Then the “panic” took hold and the U.S. Treasury asked Congress to inject 770 billion dollars of cash to be available to banks to lend out. Without the cash infusion banks could not lend and businesses could not pay monthly expenses.

Now that Congress has shown its willingness to support bad ideas and mistakes, State governments are standing in line for bailout money. The floodgates have been opened. The stock market will survive, but only after sanity returns.